Floss dispensers

• US 10,376,345 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flosstime, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flosstime, Inc.
• Inventors: Evans, Michael, Duong, Duc, Faria, Gregorio, Grimm, Thomas, Loew, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Alie, Ghassem
• Application Number:
  US14/835,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20160051351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 225 1, 225 38, 225 42, 225 52, 225 89, 225 10, 225 11, 225 34, 225 15, 225 14, 225324, 225325, 132309, 132325, 132311, 132308, 132324, 132310, 83649
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/043 Containers, dispensers, or the like, e.g. with cutting means A61C15/046 takes precedence

Abstract

Floss dispensers are described. In one embodiment, a floss dispenser includes a housing and a feeder coupled to the housing. The feeder may be configured to feed a length of floss from a spool of floss. The floss dispenser also includes a spout formed in the housing. The spout may have a cutter entry and a cutter exit. The floss dispenser also includes a cutter coupled to the housing. The cutter may be coupled to the housing between the cutter entry and the cutter exit. The spout may be configured to guide the length of floss to the cutter.

Claims

1. A floss dispenser, comprising:

a housing;

a feeder coupled to the housing, the feeder configured to feed a length of floss from a spool of floss;

a spout formed in the housing, the spout having a cutter entry and a cutter exit, the spout having a first wall and a second, opposing wall;

a cutter coupled to the housing between the cutter entry and the cutter exit, the cutter having a blade extending partially from the first wall towards the second wall; and

a guard coupled to the housing, the guard overlapping the cutter and configured to guide the length of floss to the cutter and away from a space between the second wall and the blade;

wherein the feeder and the spout are configured to allow the length of floss to be pulled across the cutter at an angle of 0 to 90 degrees.

2. The floss dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing is circular.

3. The floss dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured so that the housing combined with a reflection of the housing in a mirror resembles an hourglass.

4. The floss dispenser of claim 1, wherein the spout is at least partially formed in a front of the housing.

5. The floss dispenser of claim 1, wherein the spout is vertical.

6. The floss dispenser of claim 1, wherein the spout includes a floss exit hole configured to allow the length of floss to exit the housing.

7. The floss dispenser of claim 1, wherein the spout includes guide walls.

8. The floss dispenser of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the guide walls are parallel.

9. The floss dispenser of claim 1, wherein the feeder and the spout are configured so that the length of floss falls under its own weight into the cutter entry.

10. The floss dispenser of claim 1, wherein the cutter entry is positioned above the cutter exit.

11. The floss dispenser of claim 1, wherein the length of floss is fed in an upward direction.

12. The floss dispenser of claim 11, wherein the length of floss is fed in an upward direction at an angle of 0 degrees to 90 degrees from vertical.

13. A floss dispenser, comprising:

a housing;

a feeder coupled to the housing, the feeder configured to feed a length of floss from a spool of floss;

a spout formed in the housing, the spout having a cutter entry and a cutter exit, the spout having a first wall and a second, opposing wall;

a cutter coupled to the housing between the cutter entry and the cutter exit, the cutter having a blade extending partially from the first wall towards the second wall; and

means for guiding the length of floss to the cutter and away from a space between the second wall and the blade, the means for guiding coupled to the housing;

wherein the feeder and the spout are configured to allow the length of floss to be pulled across the cutter at an angle of 0 to 90 degrees.